The present invention relates to an apparatus for continuously separating a mixture of fluids of different densities into a high density fraction and a low density fraction. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for ground water remediation, wherein the apparatus continuously separates gasoline, heating oil and other petroleum-based substances from ground water contaminated with such substances.
In recent years it has become painfully evident that a serious environmental threat is posed by ground water contaminated with petroleum products either draining through the soil from surface spills or leaking from underground storage tanks such as, for example, residential and commercial heating oil storage tanks and gasoline storage tanks installed at filling stations. Ground water contaminated from leaking gasoline storage tanks is a particularly acute problem since a large number of these tanks, which typically hold many tens of thousands of gallons of gasoline, were buried twenty or more years ago and have been leaking for substantial periods of time.
Where contaminated ground water is suspected, test wells are drilled to precisely determine the nature and extent of the contamination. Once this is accomplished, ground water is pumped from the wells to a device such as an air stripper or a carbon filter to remove the contamination. These devices are well known to those skilled in the art and will not be further described here except to say that such devices have not proven to be particularly effective at removing petroleum-based contaminants from ground water. Moreover, both types of equipment are easily clogged by such contaminants and quickly become packed with the sand, iron, manganese and other mineral particles often found suspended in ground water.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for separating a mixture of fluids of different density into a high density fraction and a low density fraction.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which is particularly suitable for removing petroleum-based contaminants from ground water.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which operates continuously and automatically to remove petroleum-based contaminants from ground water without the need for frequent maintenance.